Massage device



3 J. L. YOUNGHUSBAND 2,176,697-

' MASSAGE DEVICE Filed July 31, 1937 oooomooooo :fid

INVENTOR. James L. You

r5 6 05b and ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED S11.1 51?E w ATEN omen;

My invention. relates to. .a device. for applying massage and vibrationto the .bodyof the user r c1inin thereon.

Among theobjects ofmyinvention is to create a device ,havingna pluralityof .body supporting memberssome. ofv which move in opposite directions to other members soas to impart .a different pull-with eachmemberto the body of the user. To provide a devicein which some ofthe body .supporting members move While others are stationary; to supply a device in which the body supporting members have a covering, portions of.

which are moved by the said underlying members, and such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which areinherently possessed by my invention.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview and .Fig. .2 a partial plan view of one embodiment ofv my couch; Fig. 3 is a detail View of the strap arrangement and Fig. 4 is a perspective view. partly broken away of another embodiment of my invention; Fig. 5 illustrates the stationary members; Fig. 6 is a detail plan view and Fig. 7 a detail side view of my gear mechanism.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing preferred embodiments of my invention, yet I wish it understood-that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3 toillustrat'e my invention, it comprises a frame III with legs I I. A pair of spaced lengthwise eritending members or rods1I2 are rotatably attached to the frame II] by bearings I3. A plurality of straps I4 and I5 extend transversely be- "tween the rods I2. Straps I4 alternate with straps I5. Straps I4 extend over the top portion of the rod on oneside and under the bottom portion of the rod--on the other side. Straps I5 correspondingly extend under the bottom portion of the rod on one side and over the top portion of the rod on the other side. Straps I4 and I5 are attached to the rods I2 by suitable clamping means such as shown at 22.

In use the user reclines on the straps I4 and I5. Motive power from a motor 20 is then applied through gear 30 to vertical rod 26 which through gear box 25 having positive and reverse gears causes rotational oscillation of horizontal rods 21, which motion is transferred to rods I2 through worm gear mechanism 2| causing them to rotate on bearings I3 in opposite directions. This causes straps I4 to move back and forth within limits, and straps I5 to move back and forth within limits and in opposite directions to the movementsof straps I4, thereby impartinga simultaneous -different pull from each strap to that partlofithe.bodyflcontacted thereby. This provides a massage. In addition the skin of the bodyof the user is caused to move by the move- 5 ment of the straps andfriction is created. Themassage, friction and vibration thus set up actsas a reducing means even while the user isin a reclining position.

I may provide a pair of reinforcing members I 6.to hold the body within the central portionof the couch and attach to said straps I4and I5 toprotect the endsof the straps from too great a pressure adjacent their connection with the rods I2.

I may also provide my straps I4 and I5 with ribs I 8 and/or holes I9 to aid in the massage and friction.

Another embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 4 provides for a covering II of softrubber sheeting or other resilientmaterial for covering the straps I4 and I5. Upon movement of the straps I4 and .I5'portions of the covering II will move in opposite directions causing massage and movement of the body, friction and vibration for reducing the weight of the user.

Variations of the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, without departing from the spirit of my invention,- contemplate instead of having one strap I4 and the next strap I5, to have two or any plurality of straps I4 and two or any plurality of straps I5, or one strap I4 or I5 followed by two or more straps I5 or I4 respectively. Such variations may of courseadd the I covering I'I shown in Fig. 4.

'My invention also includesthe embodiment of a plurality of stationary straps 23 attached to the lengthwise extending portions 24 of the frame I0. These straps 23 may be scattered among movable straps I4 and I5 in any proportion of the three straps 23, I4 and I5. Straps 23 may be used only with straps I4 or I5 so that the movable straps may all move back and forth in the same direction at the same time. The covering I! may also be added to any of these forms of my invention.

While I have shown the body supporting members I4, I5 and/or 23 in a transverse position and rotating rods I2 as lengthwise, yet their position may be reversed so that the body supporting members-may be in a lengthwise position and the rotating rods at the ends thereof in a transverse position thereto.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A reducing couch comprising a frame, a

of the lengthwise extending member on the" opposite side, means for rotating said lengthwise extending members for simultaneously 'moving said first named plurality of transverse extend ing members in opposite directions to said another plurality of transverse extending members so that a diiferent pull is imparted to the body her to thereby increase. the massage;

2. A reducing couch comprising a frame, a pair of lengthwise extending members rotatably attached to said frame, a plurality of members extending transversely between and attached to said lengthwise extending members for holding the body of a user in reclining position, alternate transverse members extending over the top of the lengthwise extending member on one side ai'and under the bottom of the lengthwise extending member on the opposite side and intermediate transverse extending members extending under' the bottom of the lengthwise extending member on one side and over the top of the "iflengthwise extending member on the opposite side, means for rotating said lengthwise extending members for simultaneously moving alternate transverse extending members in opposite,

directions to intermediate transverse extending gmembers so that a different pull is imparted to the body of the user by each transverse extending member to thereby increase the massage.

3. A reducing couch comprising a frame, a pair of spaced rods rotatably attached to oppo- 555MB portions of said frame, a plurality of members extending between and attached to said rods for holding the body of a user in. reclining position, a plurality of members extending over the top of the rod on one side and under the botxtom. of the rod on the opposite side and another plurality of members extending under the bottom of the rod on one side and over the top of the rod on the opposite side, means for rotating said rods for simultaneously moving said first named plurality of said members in opposite directions to said another plurality of members so that a different pull is imparted to the body of the user by each member to thereby increase the massage.

of the user by each transverse extending mem-' 4. A reducing couch comprising a frame, a pair of spaced rods rotatably attached to opposite portions of said frame, a plurality of members extending between opposite portions of said frame and immovably attached thereto, a plu- 5 rality of members extending between and attached to said rods, all of said members adapted to hold the body of a user in reclining position,

a plurality of said members extending over the top of the rod on one side and under the bottom 10 of the rod on the opposite side, and another plurality of members extending under the bottom rof the rod on one side and over the top of the rod on the opposite side, means for rotating said rods for simultaneously moving said first named 15 plurality of members in opposite directions to said another plurality of members so that a different pull is imparted to the body by each member to thereby increase the massage.

5. A massage device comprising a frame, a

pair of movable members attached to said frame, a plurality of members attached to said movable members for holding the body of a user in reclining position, and means for'oscillating' said movable members for moving some of said body holding members in opposite directions to other of said body holding members so that a different pull is imparted to the body of the user by each of said body holding members to thereby increase the massage.

6. A massage device comprising a frame, a pair of spaced members rotatably. attached to said frame, a plurality of members extending between and attached to said spaced members for holding the body of a user in reclining position, and means for rotationally oscillating said spaced members for moving some of said body holding members in opposite directions to other of said body holding members so that a different pull is imparted to the body of the user by each of said body holding members to thereby increase the massage.

7. A massaging apparatus comprising a bedlike frame, a plurality of massaging elements supported therein, for reciprocable movement with respect thereto, means for reciprocably moving a numb-er of said elements with respect to said frame, and means for reciprocably and simultaneously moving the balance of said elements with respect to said frame in a direction opposite to the movement of said first mentioned number of elements.

8. A massaging apparatus including a frame, a pluralityof crosswise elements movably supported therein and adapted to support the human body, and means for reciprocatingvarious ones of said elements in difierent-directions at different times. w

I j, L. .YOUNGHUSBAND; 

